JANUARY 24, 2002

Penske chooses Dallara - and Ilmor

ROGER PENSKE has decided that his team will use Dallara chassis for its assault on this year's Indy Racing League. The team is moving into IRL this year rather than continuing in CART.

Ilmor Engineering, the company which builds the Mercedes-Benz Formula 1 engines, is to increase its relationship with Marlboro Team Penske, preparing the team's Chevrolet engines for the IRL program this year. Last year Ilmor prepared the engines with which Penske won the Indianapolis 500 and that deal has now been expanded for the whole of the IRL program. The cars will be driven by CART double champion Gil de Ferran and Helio Castroneves.